Tonya Dunn has taken a position as a counselor with TJ Health Columbia Primary Care where she now offers mental health services to those in need.
A Columbia native, Dunn has spent years living in New York City, Louisville, and—most recently—Alaska, where she spent around a year as a counselor at a Community Mental Health Center that also provided addiction treatment services.
“A friend of mine needed me to apartment sit in New York… I thought I could make something happen in New York… I came back to Columbia to finish my degree, went back to Louisville,” she laughed. “I worked in community mental health for six to seven years in Louisville.”
During Covid, she worked in private practice offering telehealth.
Now at TJ, Dunn is still working to build her new caseload and get settled into her position where she will hit the ground running with her clients.
“I’ve shaped my career around trauma treatment. I use both cognitive and somatic techniques as well as EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing),” she said.
2025 has barely begun and the early months of a year can be critical for a mental health professional. Millions of people during the winter months experience winter blues and may need someone to talk to. Or, they may suffer from seasonal affective disorder, also referred to as “seasonal depression” and could benefit from counseling. According to the University of Texas Medical Branch, “about 10 million Americans experience SAD.”
Seasonal affective disorder may be hard to pinpoint (and may not be taken seriously) because of its relatively temporaneous nature compared to other long-lasting psychiatric conditions. SAD often clears up in a few months while many with depression report theirs can continue uninterrupted for months if not years (or indefinitely) without treatment (depressive symptoms typically have to be present for at least two weeks for a diagnosis).
“(Major depression) has a longer duration, more intense symptoms, isolating, low mood, low energy, lack of motivation… Off the top of my head, I would say the intensity,” is what Dunn says separates SAD from typical depression. With SAD, normally, people are, “still able to get out and work and hit (their) marks.”
SAD’s often-short lifespan is ended due to a few factors. Temperatures rising and longer days in the spring allow more time in the sun and a return to the body’s natural circadian rhythm—remedies for two theorized causes of SAD. Being in the sun is especially important as it provides our bodies with Vitamin D. Some studies have found links between low vitamin D levels and depression and anxiety. During Dunn’s time in Alaska, to keep Vitamin D deficiency at bay, it was encouraged she take Vitamin D supplements.
Symptoms of SAD often resemble those found in other types of depression. SAD symptoms can include a persistent feeling of sadness, anxiety, or hopelessness; a pervasive loss of interest in things one usually finds satisfying or pleasurable; irritability; difficulty concentrating; and changes in sleep or appetite.
Physical symptoms can manifest, as well—SAD can cause headaches and digestive problems that are not readily explained by other factors (for instance, a change in diet). However, not every sufferer of SAD will experience every symptom.
Anyone who notices a change in mood, energy levels, or just starts to feel bad around the winter months may find it helpful to reach out to a mental health professional. Therapy and medication can be a very powerful tool to combat not just seasonal depression, but any mental health affliction. As a counselor, this is where Dunn enters the picture.
“Mental health, like physical health, exists on a spectrum. For example, a minor cut is a physical health issue that can heal quickly with care but may worsen without it. Similarly, everyone experiences temporary depression due to life changes or losses, which can often resolve on its own. However, untreated trauma or abuse can lead to chronic depression and anxiety, resulting in more severe mental health issues that with proper care, can help a person see symptom reduction, improved life satisfaction, and better overall functioning,” Dunn said.
By Kenley Godby
kenley@adairvoice.com
